Oscillatory joint



Sept. 8, 1936. c.l E. SUMMERS OSCILLATORY JOINT Filed March ll, 1935 Patented I Sept. 1936 UNITED 4STATES 2,053,533 oscmn'ronr :om

Caleb E. Summers, Pontiac. Mich., assignor to 'General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation ol' Delaware Application March 11, 1935, serial Nu. 10,373 z claims. (ci. zar-9o) 4 For the proper operation of motor vehicles, as well as other machinery, constant attention must be given to lubrication of moving parts. 'I'he lubricant supply needs replenishment from time to time, not because the lubricant wears out but because of loss and contamination. With this in mind the present invention contemplates the provision of an improved oscillatory joint which is permanently sealed to retain lubricant and exclude dirt and moisture.'

For a better understanding of thev invention reference is made to the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a fragmentary view showing a well known type of independent wheel suspension for motor vehicles which includesV a swinging radius rod; Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure l to illustrate the application of the invention to the radius rod joint; Figure 3 is a detail vperspective view showing the iiexible seal associated with the joint in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a detail view partly in section of a modiiled seal, and Figure 5 shows the application of the joint to a steering gear drag link connection.

In the drawing the numeral I indicates the brake drum assembly of a road wheel which is supported by an arm 2 mounted at one end o n a rock shaft extending through the wall of a housing 3 that encloses a. load supporting spring against which the arm 2 acts. A radius rod 4 is pivotally connected at opposite ends to the housing 3 and brake drum assembly I. 'Ihe pivotal connection at each end of the radius rod may be that shown in Figure 2 and which is oi the ball and socket type.

. 'Ihe ball or inner member of the joint includes a stud 5 mounted on the housing 3 and projectedy into the terminal eye of the rod 4, where it is threaded for adjustably locating a bearing ring 6 having a parti-spherical peripheral' surface. The opening through the eye of the lever 4 is cylindrical for approximately half its length and then ilares inwardly at the inner end to provide a parti-spherical seat for the ring 6.

To hold the ring and stud in adjusted position a key or pin 1 is tted into alined slots in the two parts. The ring is preferably provided with two or more sets of diametrical slots 8 in angular relation to each other, in any oi' which the pin may be fitted after a proper adjustment has vbeen made, whiler the stud 5 is provided with av single transverse slot indicated at 9.

Nested within the cylindrical portion of the apertured eye is a ring I0, which has a concave inner surface for cooperation with the inwardly flared portion o1' the aperture to provide the seat for'the ball member received therebetween. At its outer end the central opening through the arm 4 is enlarged or counterbored for seating the expansion plug or closure member II which 5 hermetically seals the outer end of the opening. The inner end of the opening is sealed by a iiexible closure device which may be in the i'orm of a soft rubber ring I2 surrounding the stud 5 andV having its inner and outer margins tightly 10 embracing or xed relatively to the inner and outer members, respectively. As shown in the drawing the periphery of the annular ring I2 is bonded to a metal ring I3, having a press iit on the overhanging seat I4 and extending within l5 an annular recess formed in the member l, while the inner margin of the rubber annulus is bonded to the metal ring I5, having a press tlt on a raised rib or seat I6, carried by the stud 5.l

In assembling the parts the outer metal 2o ring I3 of the rubber seal unit is ilrst`press tted into the recess of the rod 4 and the rod applied to the -stud 5. From the opposite side oi' the opening, the ring 6 is introduced and threadedly engaged with the stud. The cross slots 8 in the 25 ring permit the use of a suitable tool to facilitate. the threading of the ring and in this threading operation the remote end of the ring 6 engages the ring I5 of the seal and presses it on the rib I 6 to insure a snug and xed fit.

After insertion of the locking pin or key 'I in the alinedslots 8 and 9, followed by the ring I0, the joint is packed with oil, grease or other lubricant, and the expansion plug Il is secured in place. To increase the lubricant capacity oi the 35 joint the stud 5 may be hollowed out as shown at I1.

'Ihus the plug II seais the outer end oi the joint, while the ilexible wall I2, together with the press fitted rings I3 and I5, seals the inner 40 end of the joint, any relative movement being accommodated by the deformation of the ilexible member I2.

Similar applications oi' this joint and seal may be made to connections of various kinds having 45 moving parts where the oscillatory motion is of a limited angle. Spring shackles and steering gear joints are mentioned by way of example, and the drawing shows in Figure 5 the application oi.' the invention to a steering gear joint where the nu- 50 meral I8 indicates a pitman arm and the numeral I9 a drag link interconnected by the joint previously described. Inasmuch as the joint parts are essentially the same as heretofore described the same reference numerals are applied thereto.

Vterial of the seal. Where As regards the flexible seal it will be understood that this is not limited in use toa particular type of ball and socket joint and that it will be found adaptable for use with any joint which has an angular movement of less than approximately 100 and/or movement in other directions of less than approximately 20. A greater degree of relative movement may be provided in the event the space is restricted by providing the wall with corrugations or folds. Its manufacture will be quite simple in that it can be readily molded of rubber, duprene or other suitable elastic and nonpermeable material and the metal rings may be easily bonded thereto by vulcanizaticn. To facilitate a vulcanized bond the metal rings may be formed of brass or if other metal is found more desirable, then brass plating of the metal will give good adhesion.

In lieu of the use of metal rings the rubber itself may have embedded or molded therein stiifening cords 20 and 2| in the inner and outer marginal portions thereof as illustrated in Figure 4, may be made of requirement being that the marginal portion be fitted tightly enough to prevent rotational movement orslippage. In some cases the rubber lannulus may be vulcanized directly to the relatively movable parts. In any event the flexible wall accommodates movement in all directions and effectually seals the joint to keep water or abrasives away from the bearing surfaces, and retain the lubricant for an indefinite period. In this connection it should be pointed outthat the lubricant used should not be harmful to the marubber isemployed castor oil is found suitable as a lubricant and is not injurious to the rubber. Where duprene or other more resistance substances are used mineral 40 oiisor greases are permissible.

Since it -is well recognized that any well deor alternatively, these marginal portions relativelyhard rubber, the only v signed bearing does not wear if properly lubricated and protected from grit, the practical result of the structure described is a substantially frictionless joint which remains constant in fit without wear. Without necessitating attention, a long period of usefulness is obtained.

I claim:

1. In an oscillating joint, an outer member having a recess flared inwardly toward one end to provide a spherical seat, a ball member within the recess bearing on said seat and having a central threaded aperture, an inner member threadedly engaged with said ball member, a key fitting alined slots in the ball and inner members, a ring received within the other end of the recess of the outer member and provided with'an inner spherical surface bearing on the ball member and cooperating with said flared surface to afford a socket, a permanently fitted plug closing said recess and holding said ring and said key against displacement and a closure member for the yflared end of the recess, comprising a flexible annular :lcing secured to both the inner and outer memers.

2. In an oscillating joint, a ball comprising a threaded stud and a. ring threaded on the stud and provided with a spherical outer surface, a socket comprising a pair of members nested one within the other and provided interiorly thereof with cooperating spherical surfaces to receive the ball therebetween, means to hold the parts in assembly with the stud projecting beyond one end of the socket, said means including a pin fitted through the opposite end of the socket in alined slots in the stud and ring and an expansion plug closing said end of the socket to hold the pin in place and said -members together, and a. flexible diaphragm closing the other end of the socket and fixed to one member of the socket and to the stud of the ball.

. CALEB E. SUMMERS. 

